Campus Review Volume 27. Issue 10 | October 17 | Seite 24

VET & TAFE
campusreview.com.au
Startup
school
NSW TAFEs and universities have joined forces
to foster the next generation of entrepreneurs.
By Loren Smith
S
ydney got its very own Stanford with the recent launch of
the Sydney School of Entrepreneurship (SSE). Unlike the
prestigious Palo Alto tech-oriented university, however,
the SSE will welcome students from all academic backgrounds.
In fact, the SSE is a collaboration between all 11 NSW universities
and TAFE NSW. And instead of offering standalone degrees,
diplomas or certificates, it will provide workshops and lectures that
are streamlined with students’ existing studies. Admission will be
selective, based on students’ written applications.
John Barilaro, NSW deputy premier and minister for small
business, cut the ribbon to the school, which was built thanks to a
$25 million cornerstone investment by the NSW government.
Based in a TAFE site in Ultimo, the school will train at least 1000
students annually, with more invited to participate in co-curricular
activities like hackathons and networking events. Depending on
their type of involvement, students may receive course credit for
school activities.
The former director of the Stockholm School of
Entrepreneurship, Australian Nick Kaye, will lead the SSE, the idea
for which was seeded at a talk he gave about the Stockholm
school.
“There was a bit of a perfect storm. There was obviously an
appetite to do something groundbreaking in a global sense in
Sydney, and an interest involving the 11 universities and TAFEs.
The right people must have been exposed to this idea to take that
thought a little further,” he said.
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That thought is now concrete. So far, the school has held talks
by renown American economist David Audretsch, and launched
its pilot course: an introduction to entrepreneurialism called
‘The Navigator’. Teachers have been selected from the member
institutions as well as from the innovation community and
government.
Kaye said that entrepreneurship can “certainly” be taught,
as skills and attributes like pitch ability, leadership, financial
literacy and resilience can be inculcated. However, he’s realistic
about the extent of such learning: “What we’re not saying is
that we can take any given person and turn them into the next
Elon Musk.”
Kaye appears to have the credentials to lead this venture. While
directing the Stockholm school, he catalysed the creation of
audio streaming service SoundCloud.
“We actually introduced the two founders through one of our
matchmaking events there,” he said.
The most profitable startup he oversaw – online payment
provider Klarna – is now valued at around $2.5 billion. Another
similar company that also grew out of the school, iZettle, is valued
at over $500 million. And he is positive about Australia’s potential
to produce similar successes. “I think [the innovation ecosystem
here] looks very energetic,” he said. He is equally upbeat in relation
to the SSE: “I think will be a fantastic platform for Australian
innovation.”
For Kaye, the SSE won’t just potentially benefit its students,
it could have a wider influence on the population. “I think
[entrepreneurship is] critically important … We know that
growing young companies is a key engine of the economy,
and will increasingly be so in many fashions, including
employment.”  ■